Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a sprinkler assembly including a combined pressure regulator and flow stop element.
Related Art
A problem that may arise in sprinkler systems that include multiple stations linked together is a change in pressure in the system at different positions, due to changes in elevation, for example. Variations in pressure may also take place at the beginning of a supply line compared to the end of the supply line. In addition, for municipal supplies, water pressure is often at a maximum in the morning and decreases during the day. As a result, the inlet pressure to different sprinklers in the system may vary depending on position and other factors. These variations in inlet water pressure may result in improper flow at the outlet nozzle of the sprinkler. Thus, some sprinklers provide a pressure regulator to provide a more or less constant outlet pressure regardless of the inlet water pressure.
Another problem that may arise in irrigation systems, particularly in larger systems that cover a lot of ground, is water waste due to damaged sprinkler heads. In a larger system, damage to a sprinkler head may result in water waste that is unnoticed by the user who does not commonly inspect all sprinklers in the system on a regular basis.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a sprinkler that includes both pressure regulation and a shutoff function when damage has been incurred.